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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. band — a music group
  5. mine — for digging
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. rush — hurry
  13. board — to get on
  14. mug — a face
  15. mark — a grade
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. board — a committee
  22. band — a ring
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com